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Show I IRelief Relief CatBy CatBy Cat CatBy By JOAN MALLETTCt MALLETTE MALLETTC : t ( ) McClurc oMcl.lure oMcllure Mc.lure Mclure McClurcf . ( . \f f \ , rtiapuDar , , . npuptr 1PIT & Syndicate 9ydtcate Syndicate\V Syndicate V Syndicate'w \'w 'w w 14 \ ' \ " ' U "trv trv " ' service ervfoe servicet serviceju ervfoeu lee "yuu yuu u " t \/ju ju \ / ' OU ( D L b better tter put 'l l 1iyrtle ' Mirtie rtle downIn downIn down downJL JL In tlic the cell ccllir u ir , , Pn Pa . The reller relief rellerInltI reliefin reliefln\titlgjtor reliefln titlgjtor in In\ltI In ltI \ \ tstlgator : , ? 1tor < "llJ llJ wlll ft " ill be here any an mln min mlnute minute minute ute no1'n no\\ no now noPa \ \ \ " . andI ' Pa 1'n 1n . picked Illched up a l lirge l'1rge l1rge ' irge gny gr'1Y gr1Y griy ' and andwhite andI andwhite andwhite I I white cut cat gentle gently ent1 , ) an and fctt H.t Ht set . her do"n don dorm do"ncal dormcarefully downcaiefully " cal carefully efully outside ollhll1e the door leading leadingto to the tile tdlar u.Ilar uIlar cellar . st ilrs firs lie tIe ga\e ga e gt\\e gt gage \ \ her hera hera a little llttle sho\e sho e shoe shine sho\ sho \ e and shut the door doorS doorsitiiftly doors\\Iftli doors Iftli S\\ S S1ft sitiiftly \ \ 1ft ! , ) in her offended onended face 'lhen lhen 'lhenhe 1 ' Ihcnlie hen henhe he made tils his way back bach to tils hIs chair chairIn chairin chairIn In the sunny "Indo Indo " window " The large largeneat largeneat largeneat neat . kitchen h.ltchen hltchen fcernd ernd servld as both the din dinIn dining dining In/ In ing Inanll / ; and anll 11\ 11 li\ing li ing 11ing lying \ \ ing room In the tin tini tiny , ) cot cottae cottape cottao'c cottaoc tae tape . ; ' tae'I tape'I 'I I ' I almost ttisli "Ish Ish tusk " ttislied "Ished \\ed ed wed \ \ hi\e hi e h'1\e h'1 h1 h'tte htte ' ' \ It outwith out nilh with \ Ith the 1m Imcstigitor intiestigator estlg'1tor estlg1tor ' about Mvrtle Myrtle Mvrtle"said Mvrtlesaid , " selld said Pi P'l Pl T'1 T1 ' ' ' 'It's Its ' It's Its ' no sense "orryln orryln worrying worryingyourself " orrylnpiouriclf yourself our , elf sick for fear he'll hell ' find out outabout outabout outabout about her It's Its ' bad enough to be on onrelief onrelief onrelief relief reliefHthout \ without \Hthout Hthout ln\lng ln lng h'1\lng h'1 h1 tinting ' \ to feel guilty guiltyaU guiltyall guiltyall aU all the time because of cheating cheatingabout cheatingabout cheatingabout about the cat ' ' He "as as wns " ns sitting at the table darn darnIng darning darnIng Ing soch socks . ' ) 'Nov\ 'Nov Nov 'sow sow 'Novdon't ' 1\0 1 0 \ " \ don't dont ' go Into all allthat allthat allthat that again We wouldn't wouldnt ' be tahlng taking tahlngrelief takingrelief takingrelief relief If Ife \\e e \ \ e a didn dldn t need to You Youhno Youknow Youknow know hno " ns as well as I that Ulnt If It Jennie Jenniewas Jennie\\ns Jennie ns was \ \ \ as alive or If our Building Bulldlng and andLoan andLoan andLoan Loan stock was any good we"ouldn wew wo we woouldn w " "ouldn ouldn ouldn t be needing to ask for help helpBut helpBut helpBut But " we "e e ha\ ha hae hate ha \ e to , and there's theres ' no use usefretting usefretting usefretting fretting about It " I "It It "Its Its " 'l l ' s . you .vou vou that's thats ' doing the fret fretting fretting fretting ting You're Youre ' just ju .t t < . .t t . about sick for forfear forfear fear they'll theyll ' find out about MyrUe Myrtle MyrUeand Myrtleand Myrtleand and make mahe you gh ghe g e her ber up . I bay bayw fia sa ; w \ we \ e come right out and tell tIr Mr tIrBarnes MrBarnes ? MrBnrnes Barnes about her . He's Hes Be's Bes ' a kInd kindyouag kindsoung . " to F youag oung man It Isn't Isnt ' a question , bf f kindness kindnessHe kindnesslie kindnessHes He lie 8 a got to do his duty ut . You l You ou hnw know knowthe knowthe ( ) the government can't cant ' afford atrord to teed feed feedpets feedpets pets for everybody . , It ' Isn't Isnt 'sn't snt ' fl BI as . It if Itwe ifwe Ifwe we could explain , and Ilnd end Ilndmake endmake make them themsee themsee themsee see Myrtle is one of the family . No Nothe , 'the the ' the thel theonly l only thinislto'Yeep tiling thing thin , Is IsI Isto Is'to'Keep IstoKeep islto'Yeep isltoYeep I ' to 7eep ' ' ' ] ( h hrhidden ber-hid ber hid hr-hid hr rwhld - - } > deri derica.refully den carefully ca.refully ca.refullyvben carefullywhen . \vben vben when \ when bel belInvestfga the { { he ' Investfga- Investfga lriveatiga- lriveatiga Investfga'for lriveatiga'for Investfgaora . . - iI " ' -I I - r rJl ' -'for 'for for - ' ora nere here nereI iere " ' Jl ) l ' 'Tflere Tflere ' Tflf.re Tflfre T Ts Tre G s . re rewas J was "as as " a rap " rap nt af o 1 Ihe .be be the . door doorpn door'and doorand ' ln pn : : , ' , Pa l { . , ' . " g ; gt .got got . < - , . t "up up "up up " up . " , . ' , . 'and and 'and and ' aad , , I1J I1Jml adml a'dmitled admitled ' , ml ted tell tella tellyoung a ' 1 t - < > OpJ ( ' , ' * ' . . 'a a 'acheery ' Joung young .toung toung . Man Manw man an -w w who o greei'e8rilm greeie8rilm ogreei'e8rilm g ' 'e e greeted l ' 'bfin bfin 'bfinwith him with . a-cheery a cheery - " ; ' ' " ' I ' ' " . cheery "Good Good mornln morning 'I I " ' r . r"How's "Bo\\ "Bo Bo "How's Hows "Bo8 " \ ' 8 e\ e eer everybody eterybody \ er body this thid mornlng1 morning mornlngi'asked mornlngiasked . " ? * . ; ' ash.ed ashed asked . Mr Bames Barnes flames with a friendly friendlyI friendlysmlle friendlysmile friendlysmile smlle smile at Mrf Mi lira ' - " - t . 3 3Pretty : I Pretty well fell en , thank you 'you ' you1 , ' " 1 ' 'said said 'saidMa said"Ma saidMa : " Ma ' - / , I a J - = : ; - . oj ojI oj"Spry , > "Spry Spry 'Spry " ' as e\er e er ever e \ er , " said Pa . ; I "The The " 1'h 1h ' " rtht's rthts rebt's rebts ? eht ' due , I guess , fsn'l1t1 fsnl1t1 Isnl isn't isnt ' It ? ' I tasked asked the young manIi man Ii " . f t l lajupidTa tr t'Ii fA /'Ii 'Ii Ii ajupidTa A / ' ! e'p ep ' p pId , " ? E \Id Id ' \ Id ' 'Pa Pa ' ? 'lIt lIt ' It cbme cbmeB comes aroun around aroundpretty arounili 1 < r ' I prctt prett pretty } regulai regula regular I " "J J " . 'I I ' 'II I Mi h Barnes Bai Bal nestook nes Took took oi'tAa oitAa o ol out'1 out1 ' l " ' a requisi requlsI- requlsI requisi- requlsIhon requisition requisition - tion hon blink bhnh and anl1 began filling mHng it out out.i outi . I ISudde Sudde Suddenly iy there t.er ter there'1 there1 ! . " ' v\ v w va \ g fi a " a'rt art a r topen ' crealt Qak ak anj and andthe andthe the cellar door Spr'1ng Spr1ng spring , .spring spring . springtopen ' open about about abouttwo . itwo I h two . 0 Indies Inches tllmost Almost lmost Instantly a awhite awhite I white piw P1\\ P1 p'ttl pttl P1at ' \ .it it at . the bottom ga\e ga e gate \ Jt it Jta ita Ita I JtI a sho\ sho slio\c slio c shoe shore \ e , and anl1 ' Myrtle 'Jyrtle Jyrtle nosed llerw qer ller qerI qerW'1y herwiy ; W'1y W1y w iy ' inM't in inMi I Mi M't Mt h ' looked loohed at Pa in consterna coasterna coasternalion consternation I coasternaI tlon lion and he started up guiltily . Ma MaI Mamade Mamade Mamade made an an angry rv motion to him to toheep toI tokeep tokeep I heep keep still stili The onl only onlr r thing was wasto I , to hope tint th'1t th1t th'it thit ' ' 'J J ' Myrtle rUe would woull1 come In InI Inquietly inquietly Inquietly I quietly and anl1 go Into a corner before beforeI beforethe beforethe I Ithe the In\ In Investigator IneShgator igtestigator \ eShgator noticed herI herw her I "ben ben "benIr W " hen \ Mr \Ir Ir . Birnes B'lrnes Blrnes ' gave ga\"e ga "e e \ " Pa the I ' Irent ' rent requisition to sign , Pa was wasso wasso wasso I wasI so upset tint th1.t th1t th'it thit . ' he starte started 1 to put his hisname hisname name on the wrong line llne Mean Meanwhile MeanwhileI Meanwhile"Myrtle MeanwhileMyrtle " hne hne'Iyrtle I 'Iyrtle Iyrtle Myrtle ' " " was "as as deliberately dehber'ltelv dehberltelv dehberitely ' ad\anclng ad anclng adtancing adtancingtoward adanclngto ad\anclngtoward ad anclngtoward \ toward to\\ to toar \ ar tlie the visitor She " went ent right rightup rightl rightup rightup l up to Mr Ir Birnes B'1rnes B1rnes Blrnes ' and smellcd sme1led smelled the thebottom theI thebottom I bottom of his trou trouper trouser < ; er leg Surel SurelyI Surely " I ! he must be blind bJlnd If he did dll1 not see seeher seeher seej her . Butlt But ' \ Ml \lt lt 11 Birnes B'1rnes B1rnes B'trnes Btrnes ' ' , pacing paIng paying , ) noattention noattention no ! attention , took tool . out the packa package pncknhe , a ofcards ofcards of ! cards on which he recorded thegrocery thei thegrocery the i ! grocery 01 or oilier der for the coming tn tw twoj 0 n nI nweeks I weehsPerhaps weeksPerhaps weeks weehs [ Perhaps 'J J ' Myrtle 1lyrtle , ) rtJe understood unl1erstood theword the . ' word 'Word , or perk perlnps perh'1ps perh1ps ' ips she had by nowfully nowfu1ly now I nowI ' fully fu1ly convinced herself herse1t of Mr MrBarnes . Barnes ' character At any rate , to tothe tothe tothe the horror of Pa and Ma , she shecrouched shecrouched shecrouched I crouched and took tooh a n flying leap onto ontoIr ontoMr ontoMr abI Ir Mr ! . Birnes B'1rnes B1rnes B'irnes ' ' ' lap } Mr Ir Barnes ab abII absently absently II IIsently I sently ] lifted feted his left band hand and lalc1 laid lalc1It laidit laidIt scratchedI It on ' Myrtle's Myrtles 'Iyrtle's Iyrtles ' head and nnd scratched scratchedher I ' her under the chin Myrtle I , ) rUe began begana ' a kneadlnp hneadlng kneading ; motion with her front frontpaws frontpates frontpaws paws pates and nnd turned on her purrln purring purringengine purringengine en engine lne full fun force'Do forceDo force 'Do Do ' Do you i ou want wnnt onions or carrots carrotsthis carrotsthis carrotsthis this time time ? ' Mr Jr Barnes asked fished , ' Carrots " ' , " . said Mi 1.1 11 M . 1 < i , and "On On "OnIons "Onions "OnIons OnIons " Ions ' , " " , said Pa simultaneously , and andPa andPa andPa Pa added hastily bastlly , ' Better make It Itcarrots itcarrots itcarrots carrots this time " ! Mr Ir Barnes was ready to go ; but M Mi Day rile rtJe had settled cetUed ; herself com corn comtort cornfortably cornfortably tort fortably ably on his leg with her pa paws pawscurling pawscurling " s curlIng beneath her bosom "Well Well "Wellkitty Wellkitty " , kitty . , " he remarked remnrked pleasantly pleasantlv . "I I "Iguecc "Iguess "Iguess Iguess " g-uecc g uecc guess - ; : ; , you 11 U h1\ h1 h'i hi hl\o hl o h1e ' \ e a to get up What's Whats What'shE'r What'sher What'sher Whatsher ' hE'r hEr ' name ? ' "Myrtle Myrtle " lyrtJe : ; . ' Pa Pn supplied nervousl nervously . "She She " doesn't doesnt ' eit e'lt elt eat ' much muc1J , " , " said Ma Maqulchly Maquickly Maquickly qulchly quickly * ' It Isn't Isnt ' as If It we got any nny- nny any- nnything anything anything - thing es.tra estra c\trn c trn extra : \ . for her She just has hasa hasn n a little of what " we "e e \ would ould eat our ourselves . selves sE'hes sEhes shaes ' You Yon won wont t make us gltC give gltCher giveher giveher her UI up ) , \ will I1J you ? ' " ' pleided plc'Hled plcHled ple'ided ' } ' Mi 'h h lFi , , with withtears withtears withtears tears In her eyes 'Oh Oh ' Oh , that's thats ' all 811 right . . A cat doesn't doesnt doesn'tm'itter doesn'tnutter doesntnutter ' m1tter m'itter mitter ' Of course , " . , " said Mr . Barnes Barnessternly Barnessternly Barnessternly sternly , , "we we " can't cant ' let people col col- col collect col.lect collect - . led lect a & dozen or so stray cats nnd and andfeed andfeed feed them " " "Myrtle Myrtle " Is not a stray cat cat , " , " said saidMa ! saidMa afd 11 Ma & with dignity . "Certainly Certainly " not , " ; , " ' * agreed Mr Mr.Barnes MrBarnes . Barnes hurriedly . ; ' , "iApy iApy " .J.py J.py Jpy 'py py . ' one could couldsee couldsee couldsee see that . . " He plck picked her up and andset andset andset set her gently genUv on the floorVell floor fioor . "Well Well " \Vell Vell \ , . , good by . Good by , Myrtle Myrtle.Myrtle MyrtleMyrtle . . Myrtle and I arc are old friends , you youknow youjknow youI I jknow know , " be he " brolllngly "mlJlngly mlJlngly smilingly explained to toMa toMa toMa Ma and Pa "She's Shes " ' generally gcnprnlly watch watch- watchIng watching watching - ing for me In the tho basement wIndow wIndow"hen windowwhen windowiwhcn "hen hen when " I come comc She's Shes ' been bcen on rellet relief reliefquite reliefquite 'QuIte QuIte rellet'QuIte ' [ quite awhile a v . while hUe herself berselt . She ' used 'Used tollve tolive to tolive acrossI live llve In the tbe big white house across acrossthe acrossthe I across'the acrossthe ' the street " " |